The creator of Junk Art, Jay Cormier and Eric Shadrach Miller, a new face in the board designing community, are releasing Harrow County: The Game of Gothic Conflict into retail with the help of Off the Page Games. The title is inspired by fantasy and horror themes and it uses mechanics such as cube tower, deduction, and chit-pull system.
The game itself is going to release in November 2023, with no specific date confirmed just yet. As a title, the game is based on Cullen Bunn’s comic series, and it has plenty to offer all on its own.
In the game, 1-3 players will come back to Harrow County where Hester, a powerful witch, was hung, burned, and buried. Hester’s later family members arrive in the county in the midst of a power struggle and supernatural occurrences, as they want to avenge the death of their ancestor but face an 18-year-old girl by the name of Emmy who has strange powers, not unlike a witch.
This plot gets even more twisted when you consider the roles that players can actually play in various roles, including a class known as the Protectors, who are trying to rescue townsfolk, a member of Hester’s family, which is hellbent on wiping out Harrow County, and Kammi, the sister of Emmy, which is obsessed with ruling over the seemingly insignificant county.
Not least, a third player will assume control over the dead witch herself and manipulate the roots of trees and gradually try to restore herself to power. The game is best described as a tactical game of territory control and enemy elimination, in which each of the three possible factions in a single game is determined to see their agenda through.
The game is suitable for players aged 12+ and plays in 45-120 minutes of game time. Cormier other notable designs include In the Hall of the Mountain King, Mind MGTM: The Psychic Espionage Game, and more.